Rebecca Black on viral 'Friday' music video 9 years later: 'You are not defined by any one choice'
It’s Monday and Rebecca Black isn’t just looking forward to the weekend — she’s hoping to be known for something other than making the viral “Friday” music video.
Turning to social media on the song’s 9-year anniversary, Black, who was 13 years old at the time, said she was bullied and shunned from the music industry for years as a result of the much-mocked song.
“9 years ago today a music video for a song called ‘Friday’ was uploaded to the internet. above all things, I just wish I could go back and talk to my 13-year-old self who was terribly ashamed of herself and afraid of the world,” she wrote.
The original music video was released on Feb. 10, 2011, by ARK Music Factory. It was later taken down due to legal disputes between Black and the company, but by then, it had already garnered more than 166 million views, while the reupload released in September of that year now sits at 139 million views. It also has a 3.6 million thumbs down to 1.1 thumbs up ratio.
Upon its release, internet users immediately ridiculed “Friday” for its inane lyrics (e.g. “Kickin’ in the front seat / Sittin’ in the back seat / Gotta make my mind up / Which seat can I take?”) and awkward choreography.
Understandably, Black said the blowback got to her.
“To my 15-year-old self who felt like she had nobody to talk to about the depression she face. To my 17-year-old self who would get to school only to get food thrown at her and her friends,” the now-22-year-old wrote in the Twitter post. “To my 19-year-old self who had almost every producer/songwriter tell me they’d never work with me.”
Black concluded the post with a positive message to herself and her followers.
“I’m trying to remind myself more and more that every day is a new opportunity to shift your reality and lift your spirit. You are not defined by any one choice or thing time heals and nothing is finite,” she said. “It’s a process that’s never too late to begin. and so, here we go! this might be a weird thing to post but the honesty feels good if nothing else.”
Over the years, the singer has both tried to distance herself from “Friday” while poking fun at herself. She’s released a steady stream of music, including a 2017 EP, and three songs just last year. Black even competed on Fox’s reality singing series The Four in 2018, and made it past the first round. She also regularly puts out videos on her lifestyle/music YouTube channel.
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